I used to write it quite a bit but have slowed down in the past few years...
Enjoy. :)
*************
Exile
They called me a basket
child, a homeless
case, drawn out from the murky
waters, burnt by the family
tree; she will be a flame
bearer, the bathing maidens
exclaimed! She will be
mine, the compassionate
one breathed, the rushes
did not stir; did not reveal
the surrogate’s trail—
I wept.
**************
Nativity Villanelle
The sky is bejewelled tonight my dear,
Heaven has come into our sight.
Her sweet breath whispers in my ear:
“Come close to me, draw near.”
Within her eyes I see the Creator’s might.
The sky is bejewelled tonight my dear.
Upon her pale cheeks the crystal tears
Speak of His pain, her Son: “Heaven’s Light!”
Her sweet breath whispers in my ear.
She watches over the travelers who draw near
And the blessed mother whispers in the night,
“The sky is bejewelled tonight, my dear.”
The angel’s praises ring out loud and clear;
Speak of the babe’s holy plight
As her sweet breath whispers in my ear:
“I yearn to keep Him safe and near.”
Softer now as night fades at the coming of light,
“The sky is bejewelled tonight, my dear,”
Her sweet breath whispers in my ear.
**************
Declaration of Independence
I don’t know why,
but they don’t like us.
In fact, I would even say
they hate us.
The other flowers call us
hicks and scorn us
for being from the cracks.
What harm have we done them?
All we do is sit here
taking in the sun
enjoying our life.
Yes, perhaps we are not trained
beauty like the tulip
or harnessed majesty
like the oak
but we are free
and our roots dig deep:
our grandfather’s father
resided here and we will not move!
Exploited we are
our roots for hot brews
to soothe ailments,
our leaves
to be tossed with the commoners:
lettuce, tomato, and the likes.
Our heads for frivolities
like wine.
What would you do without
us?
Yet you pull us out,
shear us short,
even use chemical
warfare but we will not be exterminated!
We have rights too!
Indeed even now a charter is being made,
and all of us nod our heads
in agreement: first the fiery
headed youths and then the snowy
brows of the elders.
We refuse to be called weeds!
We are
Taraxachum ossicinale weber:
disturber of bones.
**************
Ode to Trivialities
“Long time no see!
Keeping out of trouble?”
Towering over me,
Eyes twinkling,
smile on your face,
you stroke your beard -
You are teasing me!
Then more serious,
Arms crossed across your chest,
“No, but how are you really doing?”
I shrug my shoulders and laugh it off.
You lean forward,
Intent on my response,
Reading the lines on my face,
My posture.
Children run around our feet,
Frowning I try to balance my after service coffee.
You don’t seem to mind –
You laugh a deep belly laugh,
And ruffle the hair of one.
You tell me to
Take care,
And soon I hear your deep chuckle elsewhere.
A trivial conversation,
Stamped on my memory now -
Only because you are no longer with us.
